Device for indicating springiness of strands



June 3, 1941. R. L. EARN .2,243,842

DEVICE FOR INDICATING SPRINGINESS O5 STRANDS Filed April 8, 1939 ATTORNEYS,

Patented June 3, 1941 DEVICE FOR INDICATING SPRINGINESS F STRAND'S Richard Lee Fearn, Rockville, Md., assignor to Syncro Machine Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April s, :1939, serial No. 266,901

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a device by means of which the springiness `of strands such as wire, for example, may be continuously indicated.

An object of this invention is the provision of a simple mechanism by means of which a continuous indication of the resiliency of a moving strand may be obtained, as for example in connection with devices for heat treating wire, for the purpose of annealing or hardening it.

The detailed objectsof the invention will be apparent from the following description of several embodiments of the invention herein disclosed.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement, relative location of parts, steps and series of steps, all as will be explained below.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view oi one device in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a right vhand end elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of another form of device in accordance with this invention; and

Figure 4 is a right hand thereof.

I n the form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the device includes a base plate l having a longitudinally extending spacing rbar 3 for supporting elevational View a guide bar 2 on the base in spaced relation with respect thereto. These two bars in superposed relation are attached to the base plate by means of screws as shown. 'Ihe outer face of the guide bar 2 is provided with a suitable `scale as indicated at 4.

Rotatab-ly mounted in longitudinal alignment along an axis parallel to the guide bar 2 is a pair of idler rollers 5 and l which are respectively journaled on pivot pins 6 and 3 mounted on the l base I. A pair of wheels 9 and H' which are relatively and freely rotatable upon a pivot pin IU is provided and, as shown in Figure 2, when in use are arranged so that the wheel Il which is flanged contacts the lower edge of the guide bar 2.

A strand such as the wire W passes over the idler pulleys 5 and 'l and engages the flanged periphery of the wheel 9, as clearly shown in the figures. The relative position of the wheels 5, 'l and S and/or their relative diameters are so proportioned that the strand W in passing the roller 9 is deflected out of the direction of its length and caused to be deformed longitudinally as is clearly indicated in Figure 1. Since the strand W will be fed under tension it will be seen that it acts to hold the wheel combination 9 and Il in a position so that the wheel l I bears against the guide bar 2.

In the operation of the device, if the strand W passes through it from the left to the right (Fig. 1), after being heat treated to harden it for example, the wheel assembly Hl, li will tend to move to the right in proportion to the hardness of the strand. The bend which the strand is subjected to because of its deflection from a straight line will carrythe Wheels 9, Il to the right to a point Where the pinching eiect thereon, as the assembly approaches the idler wheel l, Will finally neutralize this tendency. So long as the hardness of the strand is constant, the center of rotation of the Wheels S and Il will remain fixed. If' the scale ll is properly calibrated it will be seen that a direct reading of the hardness or springiness of the strand will be given.

By properly proportioning the parts or positioning the idler rollers 5 and 'I it will be seen that the center of rotation of the wheels 9 and Il for a particular hardness can be held to the right of the center of the scale opposite a grad-V uation marked to indicate the desired condition. If the hardness of the strand increases, the center of rotation of the wheels 9 and Il will move further to the right Whereas if it decreases it will move back toward the center of the scale. Thus irrespectiveof the tension in the Strand and its speed of movement, upon proper initial adjustment -a continuous reading of. the hardness or springiness of a strand may be provided after heat or other treatment whichmay affect these conditions.

It is of course necessary that after adjusting the apparatus for a particular set of conditions the strand must be maintained under its adjusted tension throughout the run.

In Figures 3 and 4 is shown a modified form of device wherein a treated strand may be compared relatively to the untreated strand to get a reading of the change eifected therein after treatment. In this form of the device albase plate 2l is provided upon which are journaled at the corners of a rectangle 4 idler pulleys 23, 24, 25 and 26 on the pivot pins 2l, 28, 29 and 3B respectively. At this point it may be noted that in the case of this device, as well as in the case of the former, the pivot pins for the idler rollers may be mounted in such a way that they may be adjusted so `as to be positioned nearer or further apart or nearer or further away from the guide giving it a set curvature,

this set curvature which tends to cause the wheels.

bar in thecase of the arrangement of Figure 1, or from each other in the case of the arrangement of Figure 3, in order to get desired adjusted initial conditions. In other words it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that any number of mechanical arrangements can be provided to get the desired position of the idler rollers for different types of strands.

A horizontal scale 22 is provided, as well as a vertical scale 33, so that the position horizontally and vertically of the center of rotation oi the wheel assembly 3| and 32 may be determined. The wheel assembly 3| and 32 consists of a pair of peripherally grooved wheels of exactly the same diameter which are relatively and freely rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 33. As in the case of the pivot pin l of the previous arrangement, the pivot pin 33 is free of the base. With this arrangement the treated strand may be assumed to be the lowermost one shown as moving from left to right while the untreated strand is the upper one moving from right to left. Before the strand returns to the device it is subjected to whatever form of treatment desired which will aiect its hardness or springiness. The

`strand in its movement in both directions between the respective sets of idlers 23, 24 and 25 and 2E, passes over the wheel assembly 3| and 32. The upper strand engages the rear wheel 322 and the lower strand the iront wheel 3|. For any set of conditions it will be seen that this arrangement balances the treated strand against the untreated strand and the center of rotation of the wheels 3| and 32 will take up a particular position in a horizontal direction and a particular position in a vertical direction so that any variations from these conditions will change the position of the center of rotation.

This change in position can be readily observed with relation to the scales 22 and 23 which Awhen properly calibrated can give a direct reading of hardness or relative hardness. As before, under the conditions assumed, the wheel assembly 3|, 32 will move to the right with increasing hardness of the lower strand and in addition Willrnove upwardly therewith.

As an added advantage, the wheels 3| and 32 may be provided with a series of openings 3| and 32 respectively. When the device is in operation by observing the relative position or movement of these two sets of holes, which action can be augmented by placing a suitable light in back of the wheels, any relative change in the speed of rotation of the wheels will be apparent. Such a change will be an indication of any stretching that may occur in the strand.

It is believed and advanced as the theory of the operation of this device that the rollers and 1, and 23 and 24, and 25 and 2E, must be spaced with respect to the large wheels so as to produce a sufficient curvature or bend in the wire being tested to exceed its elastic limit, thereby It is the formation of to move to the right or left, depending on the direction in which the strand being tested is moving, to a point where the pinching eiect of the Wire on the Wheel neutralizes its tendency to move in that direction, whereupon the wheel comes to rest while, of course, continuing to rotate.

As soon as any change occurs in the degree of anneal of the wire being tested,the wheel moves to a new position; in other words, further in the .direction it was previously moving when it stopped if the wire has been further softened, or

recedes in the opposite direction if the wire is harder. In other words, for a particular anneal the wheel takes up a known position with respect to the scale and any deviation from that position in either direction is an immediate indication that some condition has changed to cause over or under anneal of the wire.

In practice this device is extremely sensitive and has proven to be extremely effective in giving a continuous visual indication of the variations in the anneal of the wire being tested from a desired value. It is believed that unless the wire being tested is bent suiciently to exceed its elastic limit, preferably to just exceed it, the operations herein disclosed result and the objects sought are obtained. The above description is believed to apply to both forms of the device. In

the arrangements of Figures 3 and 4 where both c strands are of equal stiiness, the wheels will rotate in a central position equi-distant from the rollers 23 and 25, and 24 and 26. The softer the lowermost strand the further the wheels will move to the right. Conversely, as the hardness of this wire increases the wheels will move further to the left.

The particular forms of the device disclosed herein in an illustrative sense may readily be varied by those skilled in the art without departure from the novel subject matter of the invention. For example, it is readily apparent that many other forms of devices may be employed for indicating the movement of the double wheel assembly. I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure as given herein.

What is claimed is: Y

1. In a device for measuring the hardness of a metallic strand, the combination including a xed guide member, means for guiding a strand in the direction of its length in a path parallel to said guide member and rotatable and rectilinearly movable means held between the guide member and the strand for deflecting the strand transversely of its length, the position of said last means with respect to said guide member in a path parallel to the length of the strand being an indication of the hardness of the strand and resulting from longitudinal movement of said movable means by reason of its engagement with the strand.

2. In a device of the type described, the combination including a support, a guide member mounted on the support, means for guiding a strand in the direction of its length in a path f parallel to said guide member while supporting it at a pair of spaced points, rotatable means held between the guide member and the strand between said spaced points for deiiecting the strand transversely of the direction'of its length, said rotatable means being freely movable in a path parallel to the length of the strand, and means for indicating such movement of said rotatable means with respect to an index point.

3. In a device for measuring the hardness of a strand, the combination including a pair of idler rollers journaled on xed pivot pins, the strand moving in the direction of its length over said rollers, a pair of wheels journaled on a transversely movable pivot pin, one of said wheels engaging the strand between said rollers and a fixed guiding means engaging the other of said wheels for deiiecting the strand transversely of its length, the position of said wheels longitudinally of said strand being an indication of the hardness of said strand and resulting from longitudinal movement of said Wheels by reason of their engagement with the strand.

4. In a device of the type described, the combination including a support, a pair of idler wheels mounted on said support and engageable by a strand moving in the direction of its length, a track member mounted on the support parallel to the path of movement of the strand, and a pair of Wheels relatively rotatable on a pivot pin capable of transverse movement, one of said last wheels engaging the strand between said idler Wheels and the other engaging said track member whereby the strand is deflected transversely of its path of movement at a point between said idler wheels.

5. In a device of the type described including a base, a guide member mounted on said base, a pair of longitudinally aligned strand guiding idler wheels journaled on said base, the axis of alignment of said Wheels being parallel to said guide member and a wheel assembly freely journaled for relative rotation on a pivot pin free for rectilinear movement With respect to the guide member, one of the wheels of the Wheel assembly engaging the track member and the other a strand guided by said idler Wheels, the diameter of the latter wheel of the Wheel assembly being greater than the distance between the track member and the idler wheels.

6. A device of the type described comprising a base plate, four idler pulleys journaled for rotation on fixed axes mounted on the base plate at the corners of a rectangle, the opposite pairs of said idler wheels being adapted to guide a pair of strands under tension in the direction of their movement, and a wheel assembly comprising a pair of wheels relatively rotatable on a freely movable pivot pin, one of said wheels engaging one of said strands and the other engaging the other of said strands, whereby both strands are deiiected transversely of the direction of their lengths between the opposite pairs of idler Wheels, the longitudinal position of said wheels being an indication of the hardness of said strand and resulting from longitudinal movement of said wheels by reason of their engagement with the strand.

7. In a device of the type described, the combination including means for guiding a pair of strands while moving inthe direction of their length along parallel paths, fixed indicating means positioned adjacent said guiding means, and a pair of freely rotatable wheels capable 01' conjoint transverse movement with respect to said indicating means and engaging said strands respectively to deilect them in opposite directions transversely of their lengths, the position of said pair of wheels with respect to said indicating means in directions parallel to and at right angles to the path of movement of said strands indicating the relative hardness thereof.

8. In a strand hardness indicating device, means for supporting a strand at spaced points so that it may be moved tangentially between said points in the direction of its length While engaging said supports, means movable in either direction parallel to the tangential path of movement of the strand and engaging said strand between said spaced supports so as to deflect it transversely of its path of movement, xed indicating means the position with respect to which said movable means takes indicating the stiffness of said strand and which movement results by vreason of the engagement of said movable means with the strand, and means for holding the movable means in contact with said strand.

RICHARD LEE FEARN. 

